Vehicle trim panel having beverage retainer

ABSTRACT

A vehicle trim panel assembly is provided having a beverage retainer formed in a storage compartment on the door of an automotive vehicle. The trim panel assembly includes a storage receptacle and a trim panel arranged to define at least a portion of the storage receptacle. The trim panel includes a base portion connected to a beverage retainer portion via a living hinge. The beverage retainer portion is pivoted about the living hinge into position within the storage receptacle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/023,535, filed on Sep. 11, 2013, entitled “VEHICLE TRIM PANEL HAVINGBEVERAGE RETAINER AND METHOD,” which is a divisional of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/115,512, filed on May 25, 2011, entitled“VEHICLE TRIM PANEL HAVING BEVERAGE RETAINER AND METHOD,” now U.S. Pat.No. 8,562,065. The aforementioned related applications are herebyincorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to vehicle storage receptaclesand beverage holders, and more particularly relates to a vehicle trimpanel having a beverage retainer provided within a storage receptacle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automotive vehicles are commonly equipped with various trim componentswhich provide aesthetically pleasing and functional features onboard thevehicle. For example, trim panels are assembled onto vehicle doors andconfigured to provide storage receptacles for storing items onboard thevehicle. Some storage receptacles are commonly referred to as mappockets that are configured to contain items stowed on the door suchthat the stowed items are easily accessible to passengers of thevehicle.

Some automotive vehicles also employ drink or beverage holders providedin the storage receptacles to retain beverage containers such that thecontainers do not tip over during vehicle acceleration or deceleration.However, conventional beverage holders are typically fabricated asseparate pieces which require multiple parts and tooling to make andassemble the beverage holder and storage compartment and handle theparts during assembly. It is therefore desirable to provide for anenhanced storage receptacle with a beverage holder that employs reducedpart, tooling and assembling costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle trim panelassembly is provided. The trim panel assembly includes a storagereceptacle and a trim panel arranged to define at least a portion of thestorage receptacle. The trim panel includes a base portion connected toa beverage retainer portion via a living hinge. The beverage retainerportion is pivoted about the living hinge into position within thestorage receptacle.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle trimpanel is provided. The trim panel includes a base portion, a beverageretainer portion and a living hinge. The living hinge is connected tothe base portion and the beverage retainer portion. The beverageretainer portion is pivoted about the living hinge into position withinthe storage receptacle.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method ofassembling a vehicle trim panel is provided. The method includes thestep of forming a trim panel having a main portion, a beverage retainerportion, and a living hinge. The method further includes the step ofrotating the beverage retainer portion about the living hinge into abeverage retainer position. The method further includes the step ofassembling the trim panel onto a vehicle such that the beverage retainerportion is disposed into a position within a storage receptacle.

These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present inventionwill be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art uponstudying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a elevated perspective view of a vehicle door employing astorage receptacle with a beverage retainer provided therein, accordingto one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded outer perspective view of the door illustrating anouter trim panel and an inner trim panel forming the storage receptacle;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the outer trim panel showingthe beverage retainer portion in a molded position and a pivotedbeverage retainer position;

FIG. 4 is an exploded inner perspective view of the trim assemblyfurther illustrating rotation of the beverage retainer;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view through the assembly furtherillustrating the connection of the inner and outer trim panels;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of section VI of FIG. 5 further illustratingthe connection of the beverage retainer;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a molded trim panel formed with a beverageretainer portion for an outboard retainer embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken through a trim assembly employingthe outboard retainer embodiment of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

For purposes of description herein, the terms “inner,” “outer,” “upper,”“lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” andderivatives thereof shall relate to the vehicle door and the trim panelassembly with storage receptacle and beverage retainer as oriented inFIG. 1. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assumevarious alternative orientations, except where expressly specified tothe contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices andprocesses illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in thefollowing specification are simply exemplary embodiments of theinventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specificdimensions and other physical characteristics relating to theembodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting,unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

A vehicle trim panel assembly is shown and described herein having astorage receptacle and a trim panel arranged to define at least aportion of the storage receptacle. The trim panel has a base portionconnected to a beverage retainer portion via a living hinge. Thebeverage retainer portion is pivoted about the living hinge intoposition within the storage receptacle. A vehicle trim panel is alsodisclosed which includes a base portion, a beverage retainer portion,and a living hinge connected to the base portion and the beverageretainer portion. The beverage retainer portion is pivoted about theliving hinge into position within a storage receptacle. A method ofassembling a vehicle trim panel is further disclosed which includesforming a trim panel having a main portion, a beverage retainer portion,and a living hinge, rotating the beverage retainer portion about theliving hinge into a beverage retainer position, and assembling the trimpanel onto a vehicle such that the beverage retainer portion is disposedinto the beverage retainer position within a storage receptacle.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, an automotive vehicle door trim assembly 10 isillustrated having a storage compartment or receptacle 18 and a beverageretainer 26 provided therein, according to one embodiment. As seen inFIG. 1, the trim assembly 10 is provided in the interior side of thevehicle door 2 such that the storage receptacle 18 and beverage retainer26 is easily accessible to a passenger in the passenger compartment ofthe vehicle. The storage receptacle 18 is shown provided within the trimassembly 10 generally below the armrest of door 2. It should beappreciated that each door of the vehicle may include a door trimassembly 10 for storing items within one or more storage receptacles 18and for steadily holding a beverage container 4 within each of one ormore beverage retainers 26. It should further be appreciated that thetrim assembly 10 may be employed at other locations on board the vehiclesuch as in the center console or dash, and may provide any number ofstorage receptacles and beverage retainers according to otherembodiments.

The trim assembly 10 generally includes a first or inner trim panel 12provided on the interior side of the door and a second or outer trimpanel 20 provided outward of the inner panel 12 and assembled to therear side of the inner trim panel 12. The rear trim panel 20 includes abase portion 22 with a shape that defines a substantial bottom and rearportion of the storage receptacle 18. The inner trim panel 12 has aninner upstanding wall 14 which defines an inner wall of the storagecompartment 18. As such, the storage compartment defined by base portion22 and inner upstanding wall 14 defines a storage receptacle 18 forreceiving items of storage on the door 2.

The outer trim panel 20 includes the base portion 22 that defines atleast a portion of the storage receptacle and a beverage retainerportion 26 that is connected to the base portion 22 via a living hinge24. Base portion 22 has a recessed bottom portion 25 sized and shaped toreceive the bottom side of the beverage container 4. The beverageretainer portion 26 pivots approximately 180° relative to base portion22 about the living hinge 24 into a beverage retainer position that issubstantially vertical as shown in FIG. 4 to fit within the storagereceptacle 18. The outer trim panel 20 is formed of a moldable materialsuch that the base portion 22, beverage retainer portion 26 and livinghinge 24 may be integrally formed by a molding process, such asinjection molding. Base portion 22 may be made of a moldable polymer,such as plastic, according to one embodiment. The living hinge 24 mayhave a thin portion that forms a U-shape when the beverage retainerportion 26 is pivoted to its beverage retainer position, according toone embodiment. The living hinge 24 has a reduced thickness area thatthis allows for the pivoting motion of the beverage retainer portion 26relative to the base portion 22 during assembly.

Referring to FIG. 4, the outer trim panel 20 is shown positioned forassembly onto the rear or outer side of the inner trim panel 12. Theinner trim panel 12 has a plurality of connectors, such as male pins 30positioned to engage and connect to a plurality of female receptacles oropenings 32 provided in the outer trim panel 20. The beverage retainerportion 26 of the outer trim panel 20 is pivoted relative to the baseportion 22 about the living hinge 24 from its substantially planarmolded position to an upward beverage retainer position as shown duringassembly. The outer trim panel 20 is then aligned such that the holes 32in outer trim panel 20 are matingly engaged with connectors 30 of theinner trim panel 12 and fastened thereto to provide the assembled trimassembly 10. Referring to FIG. 5, the assembled parts are shownconnected together in which the male connector 30 is fully engagedwithin the female connector 32 to assemble the outer trim panel 22 tothe inner trim panel 14. It should be appreciated that a plurality ofconnectors 30 and 32 are provided to sufficiently hold the outer trimpanel 22 steadily in place relative to the inner panel 14, and that anyof a number of connector members may be employed.

The rear side of the inner trim panel 12 has a pair of snap fit maleretention members 40A and 40B which are aligned to matingly connect withfemale connectors 42A and 42B on the inner side wall of the beverageretainer portion 26. According to one embodiment, the snap fitconnectors 40A and 40B are male connectors that bias into a snap fitconnection within female receptacles 42A and 42B on the beverageretainer portion 26. In this embodiment, the snap fit connectors 40A and40B have prongs, one of which faces down and the other of which facesup. As seen in FIG. 6, snap fit connector 40B matingly engages withfemale connector 42B to provide a locking connection that holds thebeverage retainer 26 fixed in place against the inner trim panel 14. Itshould be appreciated that various other shaped and sized connectors maybe employed to retain beverage retainer 26 in place within the storagereceptacle 18. Accordingly, during assembly of the outer trim panel 20to the rear side of the inner trim panel 12, the beverage retainerportion 26 is snap fit connected onto the inner trim panel 12 to providefor secured assembly of the beverage retainer 26 within the storagereceptacle 18.

In the embodiment shown, the storage receptacle 18 is formed as a mappocket in a vehicle door. The storage receptacle 18 may have a desiredshape and size configured to receive various items for storage that areeasily accessible to a user within the passenger compartment of thevehicle. The beverage retainer 26 has a shape and size configured toreceive a standard beverage container 4 such as a soda bottle ortraveling beverage container. The size and shape of the beverageretainer 4 may vary depending upon the size and shape of desiredbeverage containers to retain therein. According to the embodimentshown, the beverage retainer 26 is assembled on the inboard or innerside of the storage receptacle 18 such that the beverage retainer 26retains the beverage container 4 from the inner side of the door 2, andthe base portion 22 of the outer trim panel 20 provides an upstanding,vertical rear supporting surface to prevent the beverage container 4from moving outward. The beverage retainer portion 26 has asemi-circular shape that partially encircles the container 4 tosufficiently retains the beverage container 4 to prevent the container 4from tipping over during acceleration or deceleration of the vehicleunder normal driving conditions.

According to another embodiment, the beverage retainer 26 may be formedand assembled to engage a beverage container 4 on the outboard or outerside of the storage receptacle 18 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In FIG. 7,the outer trim panel 20 is shown formed having a base portion 22, abeverage retainer portion 26 and an interconnecting living hinge 24. Thebeverage retainer portion 26 may pivot approximately 180° relative tobase portion 22 and back onto the base portion 22. The beverage retainerportion 26 may then be connected to the outer side of the base member 22of the outer trim panel 20 such as by snap fit connections 40 and 42 orother connections. Upstanding wall 14 may be provided by an inner trimpanel to form the inner wall of storage receptacle 18 and support thebeverage container 4 on the inner side.

Accordingly, the vehicle trim panel assembly 10 and trim paneladvantageously provides for an integrally formed beverage retainer 26within a storage compartment 18 of a vehicle in a manner that is easy toproduce and requires fewer components. The vehicle trim panel assembly10 and method advantageously allows for beverage container 5 to bestabilized within the storage receptacle 18 without the need for aseparate piece, multiple tooling and part number setup, packaging andhandling. It should be appreciated that the beverage retainer 26 can berecessed flush into the bottom and vertical side wall 14 of the mappocket 18 to provide a clean craftsmanship appearance in which theliving hinge 24 is hidden from view.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made onthe aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of thepresent invention, and further it is to be understood that such conceptsare intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claimsby their language expressly state otherwise.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle trim panel comprising: a base portion;a beverage retainer portion; and a living hinge connected to the baseportion and the beverage retainer portion, wherein the beverage retainerportion is pivoted about the living hinge into position within a storagereceptacle.
 2. The trim panel of claim 1, wherein the beverage retainerportion is snap fit into engagement within the storage receptacle. 3.The trim panel of claim 1, wherein the trim panel is located on avehicle door.
 4. The trim panel of claim 3, wherein the storagereceptacle is a map pocket.
 5. The trim panel of claim 3, wherein thetrim panel serves as an outer panel which matingly engages an innerpanel of the vehicle door.
 6. The trim panel of claim 1, wherein thebase portion, the beverage retainer portion and living hinge areintegrally formed.